Incident Publication

Banana Lake Fire
June 6, 2024

Start Date & Location: May 31, 2024    4 miles north of Plains, MT
Cause: Unknown, under investigation       Size: 833 acres                Containment: 40%
Personnel: 235       Engines: 14       Helicopters: 1     Dozers: 1     Skidgeons: 5

CURRENT STATUS AND PLANNED ACTIONS
Firefighters are actively holding and reinforcing containment lines, working to eliminate any remaining heat within two chains (132 feet) of the fire’s edge. Although fire activity remains minimal, crews continue focusing on securing the perimeter and minimizing the potential for flare-ups as temperatures rise and humidity decreases. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are assisting by identifying heat sources not visible from the ground, allowing firefighters to detect and address hidden hot spots more efficiently and safely.

Yesterday, firefighters detected a heat source in a dry lakebed in the southwest area the fire, near Banana Lake. The heat is deep-seated, with no open flame present. Soft, sandy ground in the area makes access difficult. Crews dug into the area but were unable to locate the exact source. Water was applied, and suppression efforts will continue today to cool the area.

Mop-up operations are ongoing around structures on the northwest flank. Firefighters are using hand tools and water to cool and extinguish hot spots in these high-priority areas. Mop-up is a critical phase of fire suppression, ensuring residual heat is fully extinguished and cannot reignite under changing weather conditions.

An initial attack group remains positioned to respond quickly to any new fire starts near the incident.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Fire activity remains minimal, with mostly creeping and smoldering observed across the area.

Expect mostly cloudy skies over the fire area today, with slightly warmer temperatures ranging from 74 to 79 degrees. Relative humidity will drop to between 20 and 25 percent, and southwest winds will bring afternoon gusts up to 20 mph. The warming and drying trend is expected to continue through Saturday, with wind gusts increasing to around 25 mph in the afternoon.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES
There are no evacuations or closures for the Banana Lake Fire at this time, but drivers on Highway 28 should expect reduced speed limits and use extra caution. Stay clear of the fire area and do not fly drones.
 

Sanders County: Outdoor Burning by Permit to be CLOSED end of day, June 5, 2025.

Fire Danger Elevated

June 5, 2025 , Fire officials have restricted debris burning (outdoor burning) starting June 5, 2025.  Open debris burning will resume after fire season, starting October 1.  Prevention is critical for the safety of our communities, responders, and forests.

People who burned this spring should go check on their piles to make sure they are fully extinguished. While there are no restrictions at this time, we urge people to be careful with campfires and check for restrictions before recreating in the outdoors.  

If you have any questions regarding this notice, call the Sanders County Emergency Manager 406-827-6955.
 

Banana Lake Fire
June 5, 2024

Start Date & Location: May 31, 2024    4 miles north of Plains, MT
Cause: Unknown, under investigation       Size: 833 acres                Containment: 25%
Personnel: 236       Engines: 14       Helicopters: 2     Dozers: 3     Tenders: 10

CURRENT STATUS AND PLANNED ACTIONS
Firefighters are continuing to patrol containment lines and extinguish areas of residual heat to secure the fire perimeter. In the northeast section of the fire, crews are concentrating on mop-up efforts around structures. These actions are especially important as temperatures rise and humidity drops, increasing the potential for flare-ups. When heat is located, firefighters are using hand tools and water to fully suppress smoldering fuels and eliminate the risk of reignition.

Much of the fire area experienced what's known as a “dirty burn,” where patches of unburned or partially burned vegetation remain scattered among blackened ground. This creates a challenging environment for mop-up, as crews must carefully work through thick, uneven debris to find and extinguish residual heat. Helicopters are assisting ground crews with targeted water bucket drops in areas that are difficult to access or where heat is persistent.

Crews are using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to locate residual heat, which will then be extinguished to ensure the area is fully cold and out. Additionally, an initial attack division is ready to respond quickly should any new fire starts occur near the fire area. These proactive measures help ensure the fire remains within current containment lines and that any emerging threats are addressed promptly.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Fire activity remains minimal, with mostly creeping and smoldering observed across the area. The fire perimeter has been updated based on more accurate infrared mapping, resulting in a reduction in total acreage.

Weather conditions are expected to be mostly sunny Thursday, with above-normal temperatures. Relative humidity will drop to 16–21% during the day, and light upslope winds are likely to develop in the afternoon.

Friday will be warmer, with southwest winds picking up in the afternoon and gusts reaching around 20 mph.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES
There are no evacuations or closures for the Banana Lake Fire at this time, but drivers on Highway 28 should expect reduced speed limits and use extra caution. Stay clear of the fire area and do not fly drones.

Firefighters on the Grindstone District are taking advantage of a favorable weather window to burn 10 acres of piles at the Plaskett Meadows Campground off of Forest Hwy 7 in western Glenn County. Ignitions will begin this morning. Several forest engines and the Pacific Oasis hand crew will be on scene. Firefighters will continue mop-up and patrol activities Friday through Sunday. Smoke dispersal should be minimal but may impact the Day Use area and cabins in the Snow Basin area.

A National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) Team is managing the Jenkins Creek and Horse River fires under a full suppression strategy. Ensuring public and firefighter safety remains a primary priority.

The Burned Area Emergency Response Team will continue their assessment of the potential impacts of the Jenkins Creek fire to affected watersheds.

This afternoon will begin a moderation of fire weather that will extend through the weekend. Today and tomorrow will bring a chance of showers. The probability of significant rainfall begins Saturday evening and will likely persist through Sunday.

Jenkins Creek Fire Quick Facts

Size: 16,145 acres                               Containment:94%                 Personnel: 204

Yesterday, areas of heat located by the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS/drone) flights resulted in the location of hot spots that were within the interior of the fire. Crews determined that these interior sources of heat posed no threat to the integrity of the perimeter and chose not to engage in suppression of these heat sources. The crews continue this deliberate approach to suppression of hot spots, making the decision to enter the interior of the fire when safe to do so. The UAS crews will continue to fly the perimeter of the fire at night to identify remaining heat signatures. An additional UAS crew will continue to map the fire perimeter during the day. Today’s increase in acreage is not related to fire growth, but is due to the improved mapping provided by UAS flights and crews surveying the perimeter.

Horse River Fire Quick Facts

Size: 13 acres                                      Containment: 0%                   Personnel: 26

Crews in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness were unable to locate any active heat within the perimeter of the Horse River Fire for the second consecutive day. Today, they will continue to methodically work their way along the perimeter and within the interior of the Horse River Fire to locate and suppress any remaining sources of heat. Crews will continue to collect GPS coordinates of the fire perimeter to improve mapping of the fire.

Fire Weather & Behavior:  Beginning this afternoon we’ll see a trend toward more moderate fire weather that is likely to extend into the weekend. This afternoon will bring a slight chance of showers with temperatures in the low 70s, humidity between 25 – 35%, and light winds out of the west. The chance of rain continues into Thursday night and again Friday. A front bringing a solid chance of significant rain should enter the area Saturday evening and stay in the area through Sunday. These conditions should diminish fire behavior on the Jenkins Creek and Horse River Fires.

FireWise: Approximately 15-30% of homes in Minnesota are in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), an area where homes are interspersed in fire adapted landscapes, meaning that these homes occur in a place where wildfires are a historic and recurring feature of the landscape. Being resilient to wildfire requires the maintenance of ‘defensible space,’ usually defined as a 30-foot perimeter around a structure that is cleared of brush or vegetation. Minnesota has adopted the National FireWise Program and the Minnesota Firewise Program works with homeowners and communities to build resilience to wildfires. Be wise, be FireWise.

Banana Lake Fire
June 4, 2024

Start Date & Location: May 31, 2024    4 miles north of Plains, MT
Cause: Unknown, under investigation       Size: 929 acres                Containment: 15%
Personnel: 214       Engines: 14       Helicopters: 2     Dozers: 6     Tenders: 10

KEY MESSAGE
Speed limits have been reduced on sections of Highway 28 due to fire activity. Drivers are asked to slow down and use extra caution to avoid interfering with emergency response vehicles.

Please stay away from the fire area and do not fly drones. Unauthorized drones pose a serious safety risk to firefighting aircraft and ground crews.

CURRENT STATUS AND PLANNED ACTIONS
No new spot fires were detected yesterday. Today, crews will use an unmanned aerial system (drone) to search for any remaining spot fires and areas of residual heat, particularly along the north and east flanks of the fire.

Mop-up operations continue along the entire fire perimeter. Firefighters are methodically working inward from the edge of the fire in a grid pattern to locate and extinguish hot spots. This process may take time due to heavy debris and uneven burn patterns.

Engines and skidgeons are supporting these efforts by supplying water to cool hot spots and suppress residual fire. On the south and west sides, crews are laying hose lines to bring water into remote areas where hot spots remain.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Today’s fire activity is expected to be moderate, with low-intensity surface fire backing, creeping, and smoldering.

A warming trend is expected this afternoon, with temperatures reaching between 68 and 73 degrees and relative humidity values at 21–26%, though conditions are expected to improve overnight with good humidity recovery. Weak atmospheric instability may bring increasing cloud cover later in the day, along with a slight chance of light showers near the fire area. Looking ahead to Thursday, conditions are trending warmer and drier. Upslope winds are expected to develop, which could influence fire behavior.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES
There are no evacuation or closures related to the Banana Lake Fire at this time. 
 

A National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) Team is managing the Jenkins Creek and Horse River fires under a full suppression strategy. Ensuring public and firefighter safety remain a primary priority.

A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team is now in place to assist Superior National Forest land managers in the assessment of potential impacts to watersheds affected by the Jenkins Creek Fire.

The fire weather forecast suggests that following the drying we will experience today, we will have 3-4 days of moderate fire weather, with a chance of rain Sunday that should provide crews the opportunity to make gains on the Horse River and Jenkins Creek Fires.

Jenkins Creek Fire Quick Facts

Size: 16,091 acres                               Containment:94%                 Personnel:207

Unmanned Aerial System (UAS/drone) missions flown over the southern half of the fire yesterday again were unable to locate any sources of heat. Flights over the northern half of the fire located multiple sources of heat, one in the northernmost portion of the fire and two additional sources of heat in the northwest area of the fire. Crews will continue to locate and suppress these sources of heat identified by the UAS infrared technology. Crews will be walking the southwest perimeter to improve mapping of the fire, in addition to using the UAS to map the fire perimeter. Grading to improve the surface of the 113, 120, and 420 roads has now been completed. Crews have been cautioned to remain vigilant as they enter areas of trees prone to windthrow that have been weakened by bug-kill and the fire.

Horse River Fire Quick Facts

Size: 13 acres                                      Containment: 0%                   Personnel: 26

Crews in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will continue to methodically and persistently work their way along the perimeter and within the interior of the Horse River Fire to locate and suppress any remaining sources of heat.  As they conduct this work, that we often refer to as ‘gridding the fire’, they will also be collecting GPS locations to improve the mapping of the fire’s perimeter. The crews working the Horse River Fire reported yesterday that they located no additional sources of heat outside the existing perimeter of the fire.

Fire Weather & Behavior:  Today will bring mostly sunny skies that will lead to drying on the landscape. Relative humidity will fall to between 20 – 25%, temperatures will be in the low 70s, winds will be light out of the west with gusts approaching 20 mph. These are more moderate conditions than we experienced over the weekend, but sunny skies and low relative humidity could produce sufficient drying to produce fire behavior. More moderate weather conditions will begin on Thursday and continue through Friday and Saturday. Sunday may bring the possibility of rain to the area.

Hit-by-Hazards: Every year one or more wildland firefighters is injured by what we refer to as a ‘hit-by-hazard’, the most common of which are falling trees or falling tree limbs. Here in northern Minnesota, approximately 1.3 million acres have been impacted by the spruce budworm. When a slow moving ground fire meets already weakened trees, the fire works its way into root systems, further weakening these trees and making them susceptible to falling with the next wind event. These hazards will be here on the landscape long after these fires are contained. Please, be careful out there.

Cody Fire

Final Update: Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Santa Catalina Ranger District 

Start Date: 5/21/2025

Acres: 1,223

Containment: 95%

Personnel: 25

The fire area received about 0.25 inches of rain over the weekend.  No signs of flash flooding have been observed so far.  Fire crews are placing warning signs in areas of any burn scar as areas where fire disturbance can be unstable and have a higher potential for flash flooding, rolling debris and falling trees.

The area closure surrounding the Cody Fire was lifted today at 6:00 am June 3, 2025. Crews will be released back to their home units as they prepare to respond to any new potential fires in the area. Personnel from the Santa Catalina Ranger District will continue to patrol and monitor the area. 

This will be the final update for the Cody Fire unless any significant changes occur. The public information line for the Cody Fire will be deactivated today at 8:00 pm. Please direct any questions regarding the Cody Fire to the Coronado National Forest at 520-388-8300. 

Thank You Firefighters

Wed, 06/04/2025 - 00:42

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Thank You Firefighters

The purpose of this Order is to protect public health and safety during the Forsythe II Prescribed Burn. This Order shall be in effect June 8, 2025, at 11:59 PM.

Banana Lake Fire
June 3, 2024

Start Date & Location: May 31, 2024    4 miles north of Plains, MT
Cause: Unknown, under investigation       Size: 913 acres                Containment: 15%
Personnel: 194       Engines: 14       Helicopters: 2     Tenders: 10

KEY MESSAGE
Speed reductions are in effect along portions of Highway 28. Drivers are urged to slow down and use extra caution when traveling near the fire area to eliminate conflicts with emergency response traffic.

The public is also asked to stay clear of the fire area and not fly drones, as they pose a serious hazard to firefighting aircraft.

CURRENT STATUS AND PLANNED ACTIONS
The Banana Lake Fire remains under a full suppression strategy. Yesterday, crews identified and extinguished several spot fires north of the perimeter. Spot fires remain a key concern, and firefighters will continue patrolling the area today, cold trailing and extinguishing any heat sources to prevent rekindling.

On the northeast and southeast flanks, crews are mopping up along established fireline and targeting remaining hot spots. To the north, handline construction is in progress to tie into existing dozer line, though steep terrain and hazard trees continue to pose safety challenges.

Along the southeast and southern flanks, crews are constructing a combination of direct and indirect line, supported by dozers and engines. Mop-up operations are progressing up to two chains (approximately 132 feet) into the fire’s interior.

Helicopters are conducting targeted bucket drops along the northern flank to cool hot spots and support ground crews with direct engagement. Resources remain positioned to respond to any new fire starts in or near the fire area.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Today’s fire activity is expected to be moderate, with low-intensity surface fire and the potential for single tree torching and a spotting in some areas.

Northwesterly winds are expected this afternoon, shifting to the northeast by early evening. Overnight temperatures will be cooler than recent nights, dipping into the upper 30s. Gusts over 20 mph are possible along ridgetops. Relative humidity will range between 19% and 24%.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES
There are no evacuation or closures related to the Banana Lake Fire at this time.